Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin Separate: Will Co-Parenting Work?

While a blog post by the duo says they're entering into a stage of "conscious uncoupling," they plan to co-parent their two children, according to Reuters.

So how do co-parenting plans work when parents are legally separated?

Separation v. Divorce

Breaking up is hard to do, but for married couples, there's the option of either separation or divorce. Legal separation means that the parties are still married under the law.

Although couples can separate on their own terms, a legal separation court order lays out the rights and duties of a couple while they're still married, but living apart. Often, couples choose to separate for a time before getting a divorce in hopes of working out problems in their marriage.

Unlike separation, a finalized divorce means that the couple is no longer legally married. However, legal separation court orders are pretty similar to divorce proceedings because the order usually includes child custody and visitation rights as well as property division.

Co-Parenting Plans

While it's unclear whether Paltrow and Martin plan to eventually divorce or remain separated, they have announced that they plan to co-parent their kids, Apple and Moses. Co-parenting plans allow parents who are no longer in a relationship to continue to share the duties of raising their kids. In many cases, co-parenting is in the best interests of the children.

Although co-parenting plans can be a mutually agreed upon deal between two parents, a court can make it legally binding. Once it becomes a court order, violations of the co-parenting plan could result in civil or criminal penalties.

So even though Paltrow and Martin are separating, Paltrow posted on her lifestyle website Goop.com that they'll "always be a family, and in many ways, we are closer than we have ever been," Reuters reports.